General Sherman was beloved by his soldiers, many of them 19 years old or younger. As one soldier wrote "I feel I can go anywhere Uncle Billy leads me."
General Sherman headed east, towards Savannah. He has no lines of communication to either General Grant or President Lincoln, as he cut telegraph wires to hamper the Confederacy. He is risking his entire army as they are now without communication or reinforcements. General Sherman understands this but feels he can push through the heart to the Confederacy and show the south the war is not winnable for them.
The biggest obstacle is the lack of a supply, particulary food. General Sherman issued an order for his men to forage liberally off the land during the march in Special Field Order 120.
Sherman and his commanders know they must stay on the move. If the army is to stop for just a few days, the will exhaust the resources of the area they rest and will run out of food and other supplies. Any type of prolonged delay will seriously but his forces in jeopardy. Sherman realizes he his risking his army and reputation. He sums up the possible failure as being judged as the "crazy adventure of some old fool."
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